A Sense of Belonging One-shot series
by Mimi621
Summary: I'm going to use this platform to publish all the one-shots I have planned. It's just way easier than publishing a bunch of separate stories. I only have about two or three ready to go. But I've also decided to take requests for stories or scenarios anyone happens to be dying to see on the page. Just leave a comment or PM me, and try my best to uphold the request.
1. Chapter 1

Hiiii me again. here's another one shot from my Sense of Belonging universe. it's muuch shorter than the last one. short sweet and to the point. Not as much angst. it's actually on the comedic side in a way. well for such a short fic I'm doing a little to much talking. Thank you so much for reading!

* * *

"Are you crazy? You must be crazy?" The young shifter tries to walk away.

"Come on, Eren. Do it for her." Krista argues.

"Forget her, what about me?" Eren exclaims. "If she gets hurt, Levi already has like 25 different ways to kill me. And 5 of them can be accidents!" Eren whispers the last part.

"I choose life, thanks."

"He's the one asking, Eren!" Krista is trying to fight a losing battle.

"Why me though? Why not Mikasa? Wouldn't she be a better fit? And less likely to die?"

"Heh," Jean chuckles. "They want the kid to be able to defend herself, not become a killer."

"You know what-" Eren starts toward Jean but is stopped by Krista.

"No one asked you, smart ass!" He yells.

"Oh sure he can make jokes." Eren scoffs. "Guys my life is on the line. Does nobody realize this?" Eren is starting to get frustrated.

"I want her to learn too, don't get me wrong. But hell if I'm going to train her and risk her getting hurt in any way." He throws his hands up. "The answer is a permanent binding _no_. I'm young, I still have a life to live!"

"But big brother!" Ina has just entered the room with Mikasa and Sasha.

"Don't 'but big brother' me, Levi is nice to you but my teeth still ache from the first time I met him."

"But I want you to teach me." Ina pouts and bats those pretty little eyelashes.

"Why, Ina?" Eren kneels in front of her. "We've been through this, I'm not the best fighter. I'm not even second best, what I am is lucky. Mikasa was the top of our class. Whatever you learn from her will be way more helpful than anything I could teach you."

"Eren," Mikasa starts. "I'm the one who recommended you to both Ina and the captain."

"You traitor."

"Listen, moron. It's not just about who's better or who has more skill. If it were, Levi could easily teach Ina himself. I told Ina you'd be a good teacher because you have a sense of determination no one else here can match. You never give up no matter how difficult a challenge is and that's the kind of fighting attitude that would best help Ina while she learns."

"Dammit." Eren mumbles. Arguing further would just make him look like an idiot.

"You don't want to wait like… 10 or 15 years?" He tries to reason with Ina but knows deep down he's lost this battle.

Ina shakes her head. "Please, big brother. Help me learn how to fight?" She looks at him with those big brown eyes.

Eren groans. "Promise you'll speak at my funeral. Tell them I was a good person." He places his hands on the girl's shoulders.

"You'll do it?" Ina's eyes light up. "Thank you, Eren!" She hugs him.

_I'm going to die…._

* * *

"Whatever you do to her, I'll do to you." Levi says to Eren when he takes Ina to her first lesson.

"Have fun."

Levi tries to keep an open mind. He knows that any kind of training can't be effective if you never fail or get hurt. He agreed to this so the least he can do is give Eren the benefit of the doubt. He tries damn hard to be okay with this, but knows if he sat and watched like Ina asked him to, he'd rip Eren's throat out. So Levi heads back to his office, much to the Titan shifters relief.

Ina is all smiles before and even after every lesson. For the sake of her big brothers peace of mind, she hides the worst of the bruises, none of which are really that painful. She's been through so much worse. Eren would never try to hurt her the way the monsters did, so Ina isn't afraid.

Plus she can tell that he's still too worried about what papa said. He's holding back and it bothers her. Ina knows what a full force blow to the body feels like. Eren is pulling his punches and it's irritating the hell out of her.

After much convincing and puppy dog eyes, Eren gives in. If people had gone easy on him during his training, he wouldn't be where he is today. If Levi had gone easy on him in the courtroom, he'd be on a cold metal table while some creep cut into his body to see how much of a 'monster' he really was. There's times when sympathy doesn't help. Pussyfooting around isn't going to help Ina when she needs to defend herself.

Besides, Ina is a fast learner and even though they're not related by blood, she appears to have a crazy amount of strength just like Levi. It took Eren by surprise at first. Armin had mentioned offhand once or twice that he thought Ina might carry some serious muscle under all that cuteness, but no one thought anything of it. Eren is also sporting some nasty bruises. And dammit they actually _hurt. _But he has no problem admitting that his student is one tough little girl.

* * *

Things seem to be going pretty well. Until one day, that is, when Ina is dropped off at Levi's office with a huge purple bruise on her cheek.

"Wait! _Wait_, Papa!" Ina jumps in front of Eren in an attempt to shield him. "Papa it was my fault! I didn't block in time! I hit him back!"

"_What_ did I tell you, Jaeger?"

Levi is ignoring his daughter and seems intent on breaking the hand that dared mar her face. The last person to leave a bruise on Ina is probably still recovering from what Levi did to him.

He was very clear. Don't hurt his kid. Jaeger had _one _job.

"Do you remember?" His voice remains quiet and calm. But his eyes are ablaze with fury.

"How fucking dare you."

Eren has run out of space behind him and backs right into the wall.

"Papa! Come on, listen to me!" Ina tries to pull Levi away from his target practice.

"Dammit, Papa, look at me!"

"You watch your goddamn mouth!" Eren momentarily forgets that he's marked for death. None of the younger scouts realize how much they sound like they're own mothers when it comes to scolding Ina.

Her profanity finally grabs Levi's attention.

"I'm sorry, Papa. I just want you to listen for one second." Ina looks up at him. "This happened during practice. I was stupid, I forgot to block him."

"Does the word restraint not occur in your vocabulary?" Levi takes another step toward his prey. "She is a child. What the fuck is the matter with you?"

"Hey! That's not fair! He's teaching me how to fight. I'm going to get some bruises because of that!" Ina argues.

The titan shifter speaks up, his mouth clearly moving faster than his fucking brain. "With all due respect, she may be a child, but she has been fending for herself all her life. She's not as delicate as you think, Sir."

Eren has a feeling he's right, but Levi doesn't want to hear about technicalities and so forth. All he sees right now is that someone put hands on his daughter.

"You know what, Jaeger. I think you want to die by my hands. I really do."

"Wait, Papa! It's not his fault." Ina moves to stand back in front of her big brother.

"Did he hit you, or did he hit you?" Levi asks.

"I hit her." Eren speaks up again, against his better judgment. How he wishes he could shut his mouth sometimes.

"I was holding back in the beginning and she hated it. She told me herself, she knows what it feels like to be hit. So when I'm practicing with her, she can tell when I'm not giving it my all. It's kinda scary, actually." Eren comments.

Levi's death glare is still fixed on him.

Eren takes a deep breath and continues. Praying to unknown forces that something he says will eventually appeal to Levi in some way.

"Ina wasn't learning anything and that was was a waste of both our time. She convinced me to start fighting like I meant it, and you wouldn't believe how much she's improved in such a short time. You were the one that taught us never to pull our punches. Captain, she damn near broke my ribs in this same fight. Believe me, she can take it."

Levi's glare still doesn't let up, but he backs away from Eren, much to the young soldier's relief.

"If anyone will make me pay for that bruise on her face, it'll be her." Eren remarks.

"It's my fight, Papa. I'll finish it."

Levi kneels in front of his precious daughter. That bruise just makes his chest hurt.

Ina knows how Papa feels when she gets hurt. She doesn't want him to be sad about this. It's not like the other times. She's not in any danger and she wants him to realize that.

"It's not painful, not even a little bit. Papa, you know I can take it. I'm not weak."

It's when Ina says this that Levi can finally see the point where he went wrong. Ina thinks he believes she can't handle herself. That she's weak and fragile. Levi knows that his opinion matters a great deal to her. If he gives off the impression that he thinks she's weak, it'll crush the little bit of self-esteem that she does have. He'll be damned if he let's that happened.

Levi places a gentle hand on her cheek just beneath the awful bruise and kisses it tenderly, like he does every time she gets hurt.

"You're not weak. I know that." He whispers. "I'm sorry I ever doubted you."

Of course she can take it. This is _his_ daughter after all. She's endured so much worse. Levi understands that, but he doesn't have to like it. He still can't sleep for long without visions of her pained expression and bruised body haunting him. Her cries of agony still wake him in the middle of the night. Levi hates seeing her in any kind of pain.

Eren attempts to leave the father and daughter but is caught trying to escape.

"Not so fast." Levi turns to look at Eren, who's green eyes are wide with fear of the unknown.

"Papa? Come on, I thought you were okay with this!" Ina whines.

"I am, Ina." He kisses the bruise one more time. "I just want him to take you to get some ice from the infirmary. Let Hange take a look, okay?" He stands again.

"You heard me, brat, take her to the infirmary."

"Understood, sir."

Eren salutes. He won't be able to breathe properly until he's safely out of this office. It looks like he avoided dying by Levi's hands today, but dammit all if the captain doesn't still look furious.

"Um… Come on, Ina. Let's get you that ice."

Before Eren can reach out to take Ina's hand, the Captain's fist has collided with his left cheek. Eren hits the back wall and slumps to the ground. The way his eyes roll around shows Levi that the boy is fighting for consciousness. It takes every part of his being to stop himself from hitting Eren a second time.

"Ah! Big brother! Papa? Why'd you do that?" Ina runs to Eren.

Levi shakes out his hand. "I couldn't go back on my word. Besides, It was that or kill him. He should be grateful you talked me out of that."

"Oh, Eren. He passed out. Papa!" Ina hits Levi's leg.

"It only seems fair. After all you're the one sporting all the visible bruises. Now he has one to match."

Ina rolls her eyes. "You're insane." She tries to wake Eren but is unsuccessful.

"Now we both need to go to the infirmary. You're going to have to carry him." Ina points out to her father, who really appears to not even care a little bit.

He grabs Eren by the arm and pulls the shifter up until his unconscious body is on Levi's back.

"These damn teenagers are such babies." Levi scoffs.

"You broke his jaw!" Ina defends. "That shit hurts!"

"Hey! You heard that brat, watch your mouth."

This isn't the first time she's let the curse words fly. Levi knows it's all his fault for never censoring himself while around the impressionable child.

"Sorry!" Ina covers her mouth, but he can detect a smile behind her hand.

"And Ina?" Levi says as they make their way down the hall to the infirmary.

"That's what it means not to hold back. He's still cheating you."

"That bastard…" The little girl mumbles.

"Ina!"

_Fini_.


	2. Chapter 2

_Even a source of cheer can be affected by colds._

_Yes I borrowed this title from an episode of Fruits Basket, and no I'm not ashamed._

* * *

"Have you seen Ina?" Levi pokes his head into Hange's office.

"Uh, no. I thought she was with you. She's not?" Hange closes the book she's writing in.

Levi shakes his head. "No. And she's not with the brats either."

"Have you tried Erwin? Maybe she decided to spend the day with him?" Hange suggests.

"Maybe." Levi says before he leaves and shuts Hange's door.

Levi knows Ina has to be somewhere on base. There's literally nowhere else that she could go. But he can't shake that feeling that something is wrong. That he won't be able to find her. That thought scares the living shit out of him.

"Erwin." Levi knocks on the commanders door. "Erwin is Ina in there with you?" Levi asks right before swinging the door wide open.

He finds Erwin sitting behind his desk, hidden behind a crap ton of paperwork and an unopened bottle of that cheap ass wine that the garrison likes to hand off to the scouts.

"Celebrating something?" Levi asks and nods toward the bottle of wine.

"Not exactly. I have damn near 30 different orders to look through and sign off on. And _then_ I need to go over the next expedition strategy proposals. This guy," Erwin grabs the neck of the bottle and uncorks it. "Is going to get me through it." He takes a long swig and grimaces when it hits the back of his throat.

"Burns like hell but it'll do the trick." He sighs and sets the bottle down.

Levi shrugs. It's probably what he would do if he could tolerate the revolting taste. The burning he can deal with. He's from the underground and has never known any alcohol that doesn't burn on the way down. But it tastes like actual shit, burning aside. He shakes his head. No time for getting side tracked.

"Have you seen Ina?" He asks. "I've been looking for her for the past hour."

Erwin can hear the worry in Levi's tone even if his face isn't showing it.

"No, I haven't seen her. But I'll help you look." He puts the stopper in his bottle of wine and sets it down under his desk.

"No, you have work to do." Levi stops him. "She's probably just wandering. She does that when she thinks she's bothering us."

"She's not a bother." Erwin points out. "In fact she helps keep a lot of us on track."

"I know, that's just what she thinks. Anyway, enjoy your paperwork. Let me know if she stops by." Levi takes his leave.

* * *

"Captain!" Someone stops him in the hallway. Lenz. Just what he needs. Her smart mouth. Levi rolls his eyes and turns around. "What? I'm busy."

"Apologies, Sir." Krista salutes.

"What do you want, brat? Make it quick." He glares at her.

"We've been looking everywhere for Ina but we can't find her. It's so strange, she's always with someone. We aren't sure where else to look." She sounds worried and has no smart comments for him this time around.

"I want you to go back and double and triple check the places you've looked. We're in the middle of nowhere. She can't have left the base." Levi orders. He feels like he can't breathe. What is happening. Where is Ina?

"On it, Sir." Krista salutes. "We'll find her. Don't worry."

Levi supposes he can appreciate her attempt to calm his nerves. But every second she is here is a second she's not using to find his child.

"Just go." He pinches the bridge of his nose. Breathe.

Krista runs off.

Levi takes off in the other direction. He can't help but worry. He can't stop the growing fear in his mind that something's happened. What if she's hurt? What if she's lost? What if she can't call out for help? What if somebody took her?

Baby mine, where are you?

"Ina?!" Levi calls out. Distress very easy to hear in his tone.

He runs down the hall and opens every door in sight, looking through each room without concern to who might be in it if they aren't Ina. He searches in broom closets and small corners, places she's hidden in the past. Smaller spaces make her feel safe. Out in the open she is exposed and vulnerable, but in a crawl space, or a corner; somewhere she can feel everything around her, she feels protected. She is agoraphobic as fuck and everyone knows this. She's terrified of being by herself. That being said, where the fuck could she be then?! Someone is _always_ watching her. Levi makes sure of that.

He searches the dungeons. Looks carefully in each cell. Under each bed.

Nothing.

After tearing the base apart and still coming up empty, Levi breaks down. He leans on a wall in the narrow hall where he's stopped. He slides down to the floor and tries to breathe, but it's not working.

He can't breathe. He can't think. He can't do anything right now. Ina is missing. He's looked everywhere he could possibly think of.

He buries his face in his hands. "Ina." He cries weakly.

When his eyes grow wet with tears, Levi tries to act like they aren't there. Tries to act like he isn't losing his mind with concern.

"There you are!" Hange runs up to where he is crouched down and descending into madness. "Levi?" She sounds worried.

"I can't find her." Levi looks up at Hange. His face red and wet with tears. "I've looked everywhere Hange, I can't find her. She could be hurt and lost and I can't find her!" Levi cries.

Hange pulls him up by his arms. He can barely stand. "Come on hotshot. Follow me." She supports him until he can walk on his own.

"Did you find her?" Levi looks up at her.

"I found her."

Levi wants to be upset with her right about now. She let him sit there and cry. Let him sit there and worry himself insane while she knew where Ina was.

"You need to calm down, first."

"Don't fucking tell me to calm down." Levi shouts and pulls away from her. "Where is she?!"

Hange sighs. She had her reasons for remaining calm. No matter what, she would have had to do damage control. Hange should have realized that. No way was levi going to calm down until he knew where ina was.

"She's in the tree. But wait Levi, before you run out there let me tell you why she's there."

* * *

Ina whimpers as another wave of pain ripples through her body. This fever is a bad one. Just like the one she had when the soldiers abandoned her. She curls up and pulls her blanket up over her head. Ina hates fevers. It makes her feel hot and sweaty, yet cold and shivering. Her head is pounding and her entire body aches. She used the last of her strength and energy to climb this tree.

As soon as Ina realized she was getting sick, she panicked. Last time she felt this way, not only did they leave her to die in the middle of nowhere, but she got the worst beating of her life. Ina knows no one here would ever hurt her that way. Still, a big part of her is so worried that once they realize she's sick they won't want her. They'll take her somewhere and leave her. Just like before.

Ina feels like she should know better. Everyone here loves her. Of course they'd take care of her.

But she couldn't take the chance. Once they found out she was sick, everything could go wrong.

Another wave of pain. This one makes Ina feel nauseous. She groans again and swallows the icky stuff that creeps up her throat.

Just let it pass. It'll be over soon. You made it through the last fever just fine. You can do it.

"Ina." That's papa.

How did he find her?! Mama must have told him. How could she?! She promised Ina she would keep her hiding place a secret.

"Go away, Papa." Ina mumbles. Her voice thick with tears she's trying to hold back.

"Now why would I do that?" He must be right below her now. "I told you you're stuck with me."

"No." Ina says a little louder. "No, Papa. I… I told you… Go away. I don't want your help."

"We can't always get what we want, can we?"

The pain radiates from her belly and moves in both directions. Unlike the other times, it doesn't go away. It washes over her in fierce waves. She whimpers again. Ina was wrong. This isn't like the last time she had a fever. It's a lot worse.

Ina doesn't even register Levi climbing the tree. She can't feel him take her into his arms. She tries to protest when he brings her inside.

"Papa, no! I'm fine I-" Ina stops short.

Her body goes rigid and she cries out in pain as her weak frame convulses violently. Levi stops right where he is. He kneels to set Ina on the ground and lays her on her side. Then removes his jacket, balls it up and places it under her head. There's nothing he can do but wait the seizure out. So he waits. He protects her head and whispers words of comfort. It lasts for another agonizing 15 seconds before finally subsiding.

"It's okay, my baby. You're going to be okay." Levi whispers as Ina cries, her body still jolting with the aftershock effects of the seizure. With each powerful lurch of her body she groans loudly. She sounds fucking exhausted. Her body trembling and writhing with the most intense agony she's ever felt.

"Papa." Ina is has finally found her words again. She has no idea what just happened, only that it hurt a lot and felt like nothing all at once.

"Papa, please don't. Don't send me away. Please." She sobs.

"I don't want to go! Don't make me go away!" Ina begs and pleads. Her words becoming harder to understand the more she cries.

Levi takes Ina into his arms once again and rushes her to the infirmary.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Ina whines, her voice gives away just how worn out she really is. How long was she in that goddamn tree?

"Shhh Ina, you're going to be alright. Let's just focus on getting this fever down." Levi says quietly. When they reach the infirmary, Levi sets her down on the nearest bed. The two scouts on duty rush to his side, asking how they can help. Levi starts giving orders.

"You," he points to the first scout, "We need ice. A lot of ice. Bring it here and put it in the tub." He instructs. The scout runs off.

"You go get Hange. Tell her it's urgent."

Why the fuck she isn't already here infuriates Levi. But now is not the time for that.

The second aid returns with Hange a few minutes later.

"I'm here Levi, what do you need?" She runs up to stand next to him.

"Mama?" Ina looks around frantically. She's so confused. Everything is spinning. Her head hurts. The world is on fire.

"Hang in there little munchkin." Hange feels Ina's forehead. The child is burning up.

"We need to get the fever under control. She just had a seizure." Levi takes Ina's hand. "Somebody go fill the tub with cold water."

"On it." The other infirmary aid rushes to the bathroom.

Hange rifles through the cabinets for the right medication to give Ina.

"Levi, I'm going to give her an anticonvulsant. It should keep her from having anymore violent seizures."

Levi just nods.

"She's going to be fine." Hange reassures him.

"Just hurry up." Levi doesn't take his eyes off of Ina.

"Papa. Are you taking me away?"

"Of course not, baby mine. You go where I go, remember?"

"Here we go, cupcake. One, two, three!" Hange injects the medication into Ina's upper arm. The young girl whimpers yet again.

"Don't send me away." She cries. "Let me stay. Please, please don't make me leave."

"Ina-" "I've got the ice!" The first infirmary aid has returned with a huge bucket of ice.

"In the tub." Hange orders.

"Baby mine, I know you're scared right now. I know." Levi takes her into his arms yet again. She's shaking. Not like when she had the seizure. More like a cold shudder.

"We're not taking you anywhere. You're staying right where you belong. It's going to be okay. We're going to try to bring this fever down, okay? Just relax, Ina. Let us take care of you."

"Papa…"

"Shh, it's okay. You're going to be okay, baby mine." He kisses her sweaty forehead. "You're going to be okay."

Levi keeps whispering words of comfort to Ina as he carries her to the bathroom where they've already got the ice bath waiting.

"Out. _Now._" Levi orders. They all file out. "Hange." He calls out to her before she shut the door. "We're not finished." He glares at her.

"Of course." Hange nods. She leaves and closes the door behind her.

"Papa…" Ina groans. "Am I going to die?" She looks up at him. Her chest heaving as she struggles to catch her breath. "Am I-"

Levi shushes her softly. "None of that, Ina. Don't talk like that. It's just a fever. You're going to be okay."

He works on getting Ina out of her damp dress. Practically peeling it from her body, seeing how clammy and sticky her skin is. Levi isn't sure how, but when he touches her bare skin she feels even hotter than she did a few minutes ago. After removing all of her clothes Levi gently places her into the ice bath. Ina's gasp sounds closer to a shriek when the cold water shocks her into complete awareness.

"Papa it's too cold!" Ina cries. "No! It's too cold!"

"I know it's not comfortable, Ina. It's only for a few minutes. Your fever isn't coming down, this is all we can do."

His little girl just sobs and gasps. Her teeth chattering and her breathing frantic. Levi knows this can't be the least bit comfortable, and maybe even slightly painful, but this is all he can do. The corp is broke. They don't have money for cold medicine, or fever reducers. The morphine Hange gave Ina after they found her was literally all that they had. That anticonvulsant she just used cost a fortune. It's a little ridiculous that they can't afford more, or better. After all the scouts have the highest death and injury rate in the entire military. Why, then, is it so difficult to allocate proper funding for medication? It's so simple, yet they try to make things complicated. Most times, these young scouts have to will themselves better.

Levi has his daughter sitting in a ice bath. Something his mother resorted to when he was sick as a toddler. Back then, Kuchel did it out of necessity. They were dirt poor. Living in a room with only two items of clothing and an old copper teapot to their name.

Levi hates that even after coming so far; after leaving that life behind, he still has to resort to these methods just to keep his daughter alive. He has to sit and watch her suffer and talk her through her pain because the money that should be used on medication is being sent to the garrison for their liquor. Or to the military police for guns they're never going to use.

Fuck bureaucracy.

Levi tries to make sure that every part of Ina's body is at least somewhat touched by the cold water. But with her recoiling and doing her damndest to get as far away from the ice bath, that task is proving difficult. Goddamn even with a fever she's strong as hell.

"I want to get out." Ina says through chattering teeth.

"Please, Papa! Please let me get out!" She cries.

"It's only for a few minutes, Ina. Just a little longer. I promise. Trust me, Ina. Trust Papa. This is going to help you."

Levi says any and everything he can to try and calm her down, even if only a little. He takes the small basin next to the tub and uses it to pour icy water over her head and chest. Ina lets out a strained cry. Trying, but failing to break free of the firm hold Levi has that is keeping most of her submerged.

"Ah! Fuck you, Papa!" Ina shouts. "I hate you! Bastard!"

She continues to shout profanities and curse Levi's name while he continues to shock her system with the ice water.

"I'm sorry, Ina." Is all Levi can say. Gently restraining her when she starts scratching at his hands and arms. Not really paying attention to how wet his clothes are getting due to Ina's thrashing about.

"Why…" Ina whimpers.

"We have to bring your fever down. This is the only way. You know I wouldn't do this just to hurt you, Ina, you _know_ that."

She finally stops fighting, instead opting to go completely limp in his arms. The look in her eyes is indescribable to Levi. This isn't like the time she shut down out of fear. It's different, but Levi couldn't tell anyone how he knows this. Is she still angry at him? Does she really hate him? Could that just be the fever talking? Levi really hopes. Even he doesn't use language as harsh as she did in these past few minutes. At least, not around Ina.

"I'm sorry…" Is all he can think to say right now.

She says nothing. Just appears frustrated when the tears continue to flow from her eyes despite her anger.

"Alright, Ina. We're done. It's over now. Just let me get the towel."

He grabs a towel and spreads it across his chest. Then lifts Ina out of the freezing cold water and bundles her up, moving to sit on a stool with her in his lap so he can wrap a second towel around Ina to warm her up further. He vigorously pats her dry, keeping in mind that the friction will get the blood circulating in her extremities.

Upon leaving the bathroom, Levi finds that a fresh set of clothes has been set out for Ina and a pot of tea is sitting on the bedside table with two mugs. That must have been why Hange wasn't in the infirmary when he got here. Still, she better not think this will get her back into his good graces. He's so pissed at her right now he can hardly even think about it.

Levi dresses Ina and wraps her hair in a towel to let it dry a little more. He pours a small cup of tea for her and is relieved to find that it's an herbal. She doesn't need caffeine right now. Levi drapes a blanket around Ina's shoulders and sits on the bed with her in his lap. He brings the warm cup of tea to Ina's lips. "Here, baby mine. Try to drink some of this."

Ina takes small sips, but pushes his hand away when she's had enough. She's been quiet for some time now. Levi imagines a lot must be going through her mind right about now.

"How are you feeling?"

Levi feels her forehead with the back of his hand. She's still somewhat warm, but nowhere near as hot as before.

Ina just shakes her head and starts to cry. She curls up on his chest and sobs relentlessly. Levi just silently comforts her, rubbing soothing circles on her back while gently rocking her from side to side.

"I'm so sorry." Levi mumbles. Feeling a tightness in his chest that won't go away no matter how deeply he breathes.

"I didn't mean to hurt you. Please understand that, Ina."

Levi is convinced she's angry with him. That he hurt her in his wild attempt to save her life. He panicked and did the first thing that came to his head instead of thinking everything through.

"Stop apologizing."

Levi doesn't even realize at first that Ina has spoken.

"You didn't do anything wrong, Papa. It's your job to take care of me." She says with a matter of fact tone.

"I… am a fucking idiot." She sniffles. "Idiot." She smacks her forehead. Levi stops her before she can do it a second time.

"Why do you say that, Ina?" He runs his thumb over her trembling fingers. Trying to get her to relax her rigid posture.

"Because I knew that you wouldn't send me away. I knew nobody was going to hurt me. But… But I was scared when I started getting sick. I… I…" She stops short.

"You panicked."

Levi understands. As usual, he can't really fault Ina for her actions. With all the shit she's been through, it's no surprise that she still feels the need to be cautious. The need to protect herself. It's what Levi did for years after joining the survey corps. He spent ages looking over his shoulder and hoarding food because he had no idea when all of the new comforts and luxuries would disappear. He had no idea when or if someone would turn their blades on him.

It wasn't until his promotion to Captain, when he was responsible for the lives of others, did he start to relax. By then, he had earned the title of humanity's strongest. By then it didn't matter if he was attacked, or betrayed, or what not. He was always able to look after and defend himself no matter what happened. Ina does not have that luxury. She's still a child. Still has to depend on others whether she wants to or not. It'll be both easier and more difficult to acclimate her to this new and much safer environment.

"You didn't know what to do."

Ina nods. "I… I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said all those mean things. I didn't mean it, Papa. I'm sorry."

She pleads with him, hoping that he can forgive her for being such a terrible daughter to him.

"Please, I'm sorry. I love you, Papa. I was wrong, I'm sorry."

She wraps a weak arm around his neck and presses chaste kisses to his cheek. She almost seems afraid. Like if she doesn't hurry and apologize that what they have will never be the same.

"I love you. I'm sorry." She whimpers.

"Hey, relax. Breathe…. it's okay, Ina." Levi whispers. "Don't worry about that. I know you didn't mean it. I know."

"I'm so sorry, Papa." She cries.

"Don't be. You were in a lot of pain. We don't always think straight when we're hurting, right?"

"I… I guess. But… I said I hated you. That's a lie, Papa. It's a lie! I… I don't know why I said that."

"Ina, don't worry about it. It's okay. Nothing between us has changed. Nothing is different, alright?"

"I'm sorry, Papa."

"You're forgiven, Ina. It's alright." He was never upset with her to begin with. And doesn't feel the need for her to ask forgiveness. But she's distraught with guilt right now. Levi just wants to calm her down. It seems to be working. She stops her blubbering apologies. But she still has her arm wrapped around his neck. Holding on to him as though if she doesn't he'll disappear forever.

"I shouldn't have run away. I knew you would worry." She mumbles.

"I know you, baby mine. I wouldn't have expected anything different. You and I, we're used to living day to day. We're used to things changing for the worst when we least expect it. The last time you were this sick, those mother-" He sighs. "Those men hurt you in every way they could before leaving you to die." Levi can barely help it when he holds her tighter.

"No one can blame you for being afraid, but Ina, look at me. You don't understand how worried I was today."

Stormy grey eyes meet sweet melted chocolate.

"I thought the worst when I couldn't find you. Ina my stomach was in my throat the whole time. Don't… don't you ever do something like that again. I know you were scared and confused, but so was I. I've never been more afraid in my life. I felt like I was going insane when I couldn't find you."

She just nods at first.

"If I ever find you in that tree by yourself Ina I'm chopping that thing down. You know you should have been with someone."

"Papa..." Ina wants to look away, but holds his intense gaze. "I shouldn't have done it… I'm sorry."

He hugs her close. "It's just good that I found you when I did." Levi remarks.

He gets chills when he thinks about what could have happened had she seized in that tree. She could have choked to death. She could have fallen and broken her neck.

"Are you mad at Mama?" Ina's voice is quiet.

"I don't want you worrying about anything other than getting better."

"Papa, don't blame her. When she found me she told me that everyone was really worried. She told me I shouldn't have run away. I know she was right, but I told her that I wanted to stay away. I wanted to be alone and she said okay. Then she went and got you. I… I didn't want her to, I asked her to promise, but if you didn't come then the shaking would have hurt more." Levi assumes she's referring to the seizure.

"Has that ever happened before, Ina? The shaking?"

Levi shuts his eyes and tries his best to breathe when Ina nods.

"When they left me alone…. the reason I couldn't move for a day was because the… the shaking… it made my legs feel like jelly. My whole body stopped working."

"Ina…"

"Papa, I'm okay now." She can sense how upset he's becoming by the change in his heartbeat.

"I'm better now."

"I know, I just… can't imagine…" he presses several small kisses to her forehead. Trying his damndest not to cry. All this fucking crying. Levi never considered himself a very openly emotional person. But since Ina walked into his life, his composure went out the fucking window. It's not all bad. He loves that Ina can make him smile just by looking at him with those beautiful brown eyes.

But he's constantly worrying himself sick over her. It takes very little effort to remember all those nights fighting tears when she struggled through her recovery. When it was clear there was nothing more he could do to help her aside from holding her while she wailed in pain.

"I'm not alone anymore. Now I have you."

That thought does manage to make him grin. Yes, now she has him. Now, she will always be able to find love and comfort. As will he.

"Now we have each other. And that makes me _so_ happy." Levi rests his head on top of hers, not minding the dampness of the towel.

"Papa."

"Hm?"

"Please… Don't be mad at Mama. She found my blanket and gave it to me before going to get you."

"Hange and I will talk later. Right now I just want you to rest, okay? Here, try a little more tea."

He picks up the small mug and holds it to her mouth while she takes two or three tiny sips. When she's had enough he sets it down, then removes the towel from her hair.

"I hated that ice." Ina pouts, the side of her head resting right over his heart. "But I think it helped. I feel a little better." She doesn't feel waves of pain washing over her body, nor hot and sweaty like she felt in the tree.

"That's good, Ina. That's really good." Levi gently scratches Ina's head. She told him she likes the feeling. It calms her down.

"Papa, can you stay with me tonight?"

"There is nowhere I'd rather be than right here, my baby." He kisses her forehead and resumes the gentle scratching.

Ina relaxes more and more as time passes. Soon enough she is asleep. Levi feels her forehead and her arms one more time. Still a little warm, but just barely. The worst part of the fever is definitely behind them. He sighs with relief before placing her on the bed and under the covers. He watches her sleep for just a moment longer before taking his leave. He has to find Hange.

He finds her in Erwin's office, both of them deep in conversation. What about, Levi doesn't care.

She looks more solemn than he's ever seen her, but again, Levi doesn't give a flying fuck.

He charges right at her, his eyes ablaze with fury. Erwin reaches Levi first and has to put all the strength he has into holding the angry Captain back.

"Next time you want to hide my child you best rethink it!" Levi shouts, still fighting Erwin to get to Hange, who hasn't moved a single muscle.

"If I found her seconds later she could have _died_ you _fucking idiot_!"

Erwin loses the battle and Levi breaks free. He lands a solid punch to Hange's eye, shattering the left lens of her glasses. Erwin grabs Levi before he can inflict anymore damage.

"Goddammit Levi that's enough! You've made your point, now stand down." He orders.

Levi eventually gives up the struggle. Erwin remains between him and Hange, who aside from holding her bruised eye, does nothing.

"I don't trust _anyone_ more than I trust you." Levi is no longer yelling, much to Erwin's relief. "You _know_ that. I don't trust _anyone _else to look after her like I do you."

It's when Levi all but collapses in one of the chairs that Erwin feels comfortable going back to his desk.

"I'm sorry, Levi." Hange will swallow her pride. "I was trying to do the right thing for Ina. When I tried to get her out of the tree she kicked and screamed like no other. There was no getting her down without real risk. I didn't want to drop her!" She shouts

"I knew that you'd be the only one able to get through to her. So until I found you, I let her stay there. But… I knew she was still in danger. I knew she was at risk for a seizure and I-"

"She had a seizure?" Erwin cuts her off. Levi just nods in response. Those awful few seconds won't stop playing in his head. If Levi thought he knew fear before that moment, he was sorely mistaken. He thought she was dying. His mind went off in a million and one directions in that moment.

"I should have been more upfront and more urgent, I know that, Levi and I'm sorry. I just… I didn't want you to run out there and scare her. She was sick, and terrified, and in pain and I just wanted-" She looks down when it's clear she can no longer hold back her tears.

"I'm sorry." She sobs and finally moves her hand away from where Levi hit her. Shit, that looks pretty bad. The broken lens cut into her eyelid which is steadily bleeding.

"I'm so sorry." She hiccups.

Levi takes his handkerchief from his front pocket and walks over to her. He gently blots at the blood around her eye and checks to make sure no more fragments of the glasses have gotten stuck inside the wound. He applies pressure to slow the bleeding.

Hange wraps her arms around his middle, damn near pulling him into her lap. "I'm sorry, Levi." She says once again.

While being sure to keep pressure on her eye, Levi wraps his arm around her shoulders and rests his head on top of hers. He isn't sure when he became this… Affectionate. Levi still doesn't know how he feels about it, but this is Hange. She's the exception. He didn't ask permission to cry like a child in her room. Her didn't ask her to remind him how to breathe again. He didn't ask her to be there for him every time he fell apart, but she was. Levi can't give back half of what she's given him, he knows that. The least he can do is cut her a break every once in a while.

Besides, they're a couple now. They have to figure out how to communicate with each other, but that takes time. Hange did what she thought was best and Levi knows that. Unlike Levi, Hange thought about what Ina wanted. Sometimes he takes his role as parent a little too seriously and doesn't spend enough time listening to how Ina feels about something. Levi can learn a a lot from Hange. He just has to get used to the fact that he's not Ina's sole parent anymore. They're in this together.

Levi sighs. "Just don't hide our kid again."

Hange shakes her head. "Only on special occasions."

* * *

Now lemme just clear up, I don't condone domestic violence and Levi was definitely in the wrong for hitting Hange. _Definitely in the wrong. _Hange is going to make him pay for that later, believe me. Just knowing his character and that he doesn't really see gender when dealing with violence, it kinda fit that he'd fuck up and do something like this. Is it right? Hell to the no. But it's who he is. Make no mistake, I'm not making excuses for his actions. Not even a little bit. Just kinda explaining why it's in the story. In my fanfics, Levi is in the process of learning not to be so physical. It'll take him a while but hey, we're all works in progress, no?


End file.
